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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNorth Day Lot Landmark Comments 020808Memorandum to File March 2, 2009 Planner: Warren Campbell The information contained in this file pertains to the discussion which occurred regarding the collocation of a transit center and employee housing on the North Day Lot. After several design iterations and multiple public reviews it was determined that the Town did not want to pursue anything more than skier drop-off and employee housing on the site, both of which were obligation of Vail resorts from the Arabelle project. These items are included with the approved plans for the North Day Lot simply to serve as a history for future inquiries regarding the North Day Lot. (02/05/2008) George Ruther - Re: North Day Lot -- Transit Center Page 1 From: "Kim Newbury" <knewbury@vailgov.com> To: <EVEA3407@aol.com> Date: 02/01 /2008 1:58 PM Subject: Re: North Day Lot --Transit Center Thank you for your comments. Please be sure to pass your concerns along also to our Planning & Environmental Commission, as they are the governing body that will review this application (not Town Council, unless it becomes a Special Development District). You can be sure that your email is received by the commission if you send it to George Ruther at gruther@vailgov.com. Best regards, Kim Newbury Vail Town Council Member »> <EVEA3407@aol.com> 02/01/08 10:36 AM »> Dear Town Council Members, As a condo owner at the Landmark, I am writing to ask you to oppose the development of a transit center in combination with employee housing on the North Day Lot. I understand the need for employee housing, and will not oppose that development on the NDL. However to also include a transit center is just not logical. A transit center would bring tremendous foot traffic, noise, pollution, and would create safety and security issues. A transit center in the midst of amulti-million dollar residential area would seriously and adversely affect our property values and would definitely impair the whole Vail experience. The creation of a transit center was suggested years ago and the Landmark, along with other surrounding residential properties, opposed it then, for all the reasons listed above. The NDL property is a very valuable piece of real estate, set among other valuable properties. To create a transit center at this location would de-value the property and all surrounding properties. It certainly would not enhance and encourage the prestigious status that Vail has always maintained. I believe it would adversely affect "Nail's New Dawn"! Too many millions of dollars have been spent and continue to be spent in an effort to up-date and up-grade Vail and most especially Lionshead, for this transit center to undermine. F~~F Cpp` (02/05/2008) George Ruther - Re: North Day Lot --Transit Center Page 2 As a Landmark Tower owner and Board member, I strongly urge you to give careful consideration to this very serious issue and thus oppose this proposed development of a transit center on the North Day Lot. Many thanks to all of you for your continued hard work and success in continuing to keep Vail a First Class Resort! Sincerely, Evelyn Ackerman Landmark Tower 104 **"****""***"*Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music. (http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCI D=aolcmp003000000025 48) ~ (02/11/2008) George Ruther -Meeting with Landmark on NDL Page 1 l From: "William J. Pendleton" <wpendleton@1 usa.com> r~ To: <GRuther@Vailgov.com> /' Date: 02/08/2008 5:07 PM Subject: Meeting with Landmark on NDL ~O py George, We very much appreciated the opportunity to meet with you and your colleagues from the TOV and the officials from VR this afternoon to communicate Landmark's deep concern and opposition to the proposed plan to locate aTransportation /bus center on the NDL. We were relieved to hear that there were no plans for a charter bus drop-off. However, our opposition to a transportation center for Vail and County buses on the site remains as strong as we indicated. We understand the desire of the TOV to have improved transportation/bus facilities in the Lionshead area and we will support in every way possible the planned bus terminal at Ever Vail and a more appropriate second location at the Lionshead Parking Structure. We also understand that this is a critical period for finalizing the plans for the NDL between now and February 25 and longer term from then to November. We want to continue communications, and we are especially interested if there are any changes to the current plans prior to February 25. Again, thank you for meeting with us to have a frank discussion and share positions on this critical matter We look forward to working constructively with you to help develop a more acceptable alternative location(s) for buses in the future. Bill Pendleton On behalf of the Landmark Board ~ ~ 7 LANDMARK CONDOMINI[TMS TALKING POINTS/POSITIONS re the NORTH DAY LOT PROPOSED PLAN The following outlines Landmark talking points/positions with regard to the new proposed plan for the development of the North Day Lot (NDL}, to be used at the private meeting with VR and TOV officials on February 8, 2008. History with the TOV and VR • The Landmark BOD has worked and communicated cooperatively and positively with the town and VR over the past ten years. There were particularly intense discussions during the 2003-2005 period over the possible location of a Transportation/bus center on the NDL. • During those discussions, Landmark hired an engineering firm to take base level measurements on noise, pollution and traffic. The firm reported that our residents would experience a significant increase in noise and pollution if large buses used the NDL. • After comprehensive discussions and exchanges of information, we were assured in 2005 by Russ Forest and Dave Thorpe that a transportation center on the NDL was not appropriate and it would be located elsewhere. TRANSPORTATIONBUS CENTER POPOSAL The proposed new plan for aTransportation/bus center on the NFL is totally unacceptable and Landmark will vigorously oppose it for the following reasons: • The buses will load and unload within 20 feet from our existing residences. • The buses will have a highly negative environmental impact on Landmark, particularly in the summer because the current residences do not have air conditioning and the windows need to be open for ventilation. • No amount of safeguards can offset the dramatic increase in noise levels, the increase in obnoxious pollution and fumes and the increase in pedestrian traffic and related noise close to our facilities. The noise and dangerous fumes must be vented and we will be the recipient. • This type of proposal serves as a disincentive for property renovations • Landmark has ALWAYS opposed buses on the NDL since it was frst discussed PRIOR to adoption of the Lionshead Master Plan. Even though we adamantly opposed the idea, it was included in the Plan over our objections. • There is no other location in Vail where there is a Transportation bus center located in such close proximity to condos and residences. • The Transportation/bus center should more appropriately be located at the new Lionshead Parking Structure. We urge VR and the town to work cooperatively to clear the way for that objective. Buses should be located near cars and not near people's homes. A Transportation/bus center located on the NDL will require bus riders to climb up about 30 steps with their skis. A center located at the Lionshead Parking Structure could be designed so that the bus riders did not have to climb stairs. Further, the use of escalators would not be practical at the NDL. EMPLOYEE HOUSING PROPOSAL Landmark does not oppose the proposed development of employee housing on the NDL, but it is not our preferred utilization. • We would prefer to have development which is more closely aligned and compatible with our utilization, i.e., condos and time shares in order to retain the owner/guest, residential environment. • The potential increased car and pedestrian traffic is a concern. SKIER DROP-OFF PROPOSAL Landmark does not oppose the proposed van and car skier drop-off on the NDL, but we would oppose any charter bus drop-off. • We do have a concern about where the car and van drop-off would be located and how the increased pedestrian traffic would be directed. We would hope that the traffic would be directed as far as possible away from our property and facilities. • Also, there may be a need for reconstruction of the stairway down to the mall to accommodate the increased load. • We also are concerned and would strongly oppose any charter bus drop-off at the NDL. That would be more appropriate for the Lionshead Parking Structure, as with the bus depot. • Basically we oppose any buses on the NDL as too environmentally repugnant.